Rifle Choice SE Alaska Brown Bear

[RB]

Nasty.

Honestly,  i think the 45 70 would be great in a lever gun. Big A heavy slug that will break bone and travel end to end in  bear.

 

That is why I was thinking .375 don't need to be fast just hit hard!

[Bango skank]

Roger that.  I like the mid-weights for this work, but there are a lot of 375H&H up to .458WM rigs in this town.

Yes indeed, about 20 years ago there was a dead Whale that washed up around Nismeni and had a ton of Bears on it someone took a poke and wounded one and nobody would hunt the area for a while. If I am going to shoot at one it will be far enough away, but close enough to make a clean shot.

There was a dead humpback on the beach just outside of town here a few years ago.  4-5 bears on it all summer, they were the nastiest, greasiest looking things ever.  Just wallowing in that rotten blubber.   

Could smell it from a mile away.  Literally.

We towed a barge into the red dog mine by kivalina, just above the arctic circle, few years back.  3 walrus carcasses had washed ashore by the dock.  There was, if i remember correctly, 11 grizz (that far north theyre considered grizz agsin, not brownies) tearing up those walrus carcasses.  We were not allowed to land the barge at the dock.  Did round turns waiting while a helicopter came out from the mine and chased the herd of bears off, then an excavator came out and buried the walrus carcasses.  Dont knoe where i was going with this story, but i think it pertained to the thread, and it was pretty cool.  Im going to bed now.  Adios.

[wadu1]

I'm with Skillet, 9.3X62. A guide I know in BC always carried a 45-70 but now is using a .416 Rugar.

[Skillet]

I'm with Skillet, 9.3X62. A guide I know in BC always carried a 45-70 but now is using a .416 Rugar.

I'm thinking I'm going to try and pry that 9.3x62 CZ550FS out of your hands for my bear hunt next year 

[RB]

I'm with Skillet, 9.3X62. A guide I know in BC always carried a 45-70 but now is using a .416 Rugar.

Ok that is what I am looking for did not think about either of those cartridges just want to consider all the options

[Skillet]

Nasty.

Honestly,  i think the 45 70 would be great in a lever gun. Big A heavy slug that will break bone and travel end to end in  bear.

 

That is why I was thinking .375 don't need to be fast just hit hard!

This would be a fantastic choice in a pre-64 M70, CZ550 or Sako.  Just my 

[h20hunter]

4x Fixed Power scope....dead bear.....hell dead anything.

[Dan-o]

Make it sporty....25-06.

 

 

[kselkhunter]

I was shooting the *censored* with a native up the yukon river a few years back.  He showed me a pic of a nastie brownie he killed with a 7mm.  I said, you mean 7 mm mag?  He said no, just a 7mm.  Assuming he meant 7mm-08    of course, these are the same dudes that think nothing of routinely killing caribou with .223

My close friend from Alaska got his brown bear with his 270 Win (he had a guy backing him up with 338 WM).  Guys use what they have.  Shot placement matters regardless of caliber/cartridge.


338WM and 375 H&H are common calibers for brown bear.   I would take my 35 Whelen as I've owned it 30 years and am very comfortable and confident with it, and at only 8.2lbs w/scope it's not too heavy to carry all day.  With my custom hand loads with the most recent load data the 250gr loads are plenty of power, plus have some 310gr Woodleigh loads I'd take.  If I draw a moose tag in next month's Alaska application the 35 Whelen is what I'll be packing and feel safe if having to defend myself from bears. 

[RB]

4x Fixed Power scope....dead bear.....hell dead anything.

Oh thats pretty.....pretty deadly!

[RB]

I was shooting the *censored* with a native up the yukon river a few years back.  He showed me a pic of a nastie brownie he killed with a 7mm.  I said, you mean 7 mm mag?  He said no, just a 7mm.  Assuming he meant 7mm-08    of course, these are the same dudes that think nothing of routinely killing caribou with .223

My close friend from Alaska got his brown bear with his 270 Win (he had a guy backing him up with 338 WM).  Guys use what they have.  Shot placement matters regardless of caliber/cartridge.




338WM and 375 H&H are common calibers for brown bear.   I would take my 35 Whelen as I've owned it 30 years and am very comfortable and confident with it, and at only 8.2lbs w/scope it's not too heavy to carry all day.  With my custom hand loads with the most recent load data the 250gr loads are plenty of power, plus have some 310gr Woodleigh loads I'd take.  If I draw a moose tag in next month's Alaska application the 35 Whelen is what I'll be packing and feel safe if having to defend myself from bears.

 

If I was going to be hiking any distance that would factor in, but as Skillet has stated he sees them on the beach all the time, and this would be a boat hunt, so weight of the gun should not be an issue.

[Skillet]

Yep, the standard tactic for guides and residents is to position the big boat in an area with a lot of salmon streams, then run the fast skiff around and check them out. See one you like, beach the skiff out of sight and stalk in for the shot. It's not a particularly strenuous hunt, rifle weight doesn't really matter.

Moose hunting in SE can be a whole different deal, though, slogging through muskeg all day.

[RB]

Yep, the standard tactic for guides and residents is to position the big boat in an area with a lot of salmon streams, then run the fast skiff around and check them out. See one you like, beach the skiff out of sight and stalk in for the shot. It's not a particularly strenuous hunt, rifle weight doesn't really matter.

Moose hunting in SE can be a whole different deal, though, slogging through muskeg all day.

 

Biggest Bear I have ever seen was at the head end of Necker Bay where a stream dumped into the bay sow with cubs and she looked like a Volkswagen bug!

[carpsniperg2]

I have 2 that I would love to take a brown bear with. Both have there place depending on the type of hunt. Inland vs boat hunt.
For a inland bear with more range possible. I love the 340wby mag. Has the range and weight to easily take any moose or bear that walks.
" I have only personally take black bear/elk/hogs with my 340" I have been very happy with the blend of bullet weights and still a extended range gun
as compared to some of the heavier bear gun options like the 45/70 and 444 etc.
For a more costal bear that might be brushy shorter shot distances I have a beloved rifle that I recently had re cambered to a 375 ruger.
Has the much heavier bullet options lots of knock down KE and better for tighter shots in brushy stuff.

Good luck to you in the draws. Hopefully we can follow a thread one day of your adventure.

[jeffro]

.458 socom, 10 rds of 600g solids per mag
Or
Rifled 12g slug gun would be my choices